DoD Announces Fewer Troops Will Be Sent To Ebola-Hit Liberia Than Originally Planned

Nov 13, 2014

News outlets report on the Department of Defense’s announcement that it will deploy fewer troops to West Africa than originally planned.

New York Times: Health Officials Reassess Strategy to Combat Ebola in Liberia
“As the rate of new Ebola infections in Liberia has slowed, American and Liberian officials are debating whether to build all 17 planned Ebola treatment centers in the country or to shift money from the Obama administration that was planned for the centers into other programs to combat future outbreaks…” (Cooper/Tavernise, 11/12).

Politico: DoD to deploy fewer troops in Ebola fight
“The Pentagon is sending about 1,000 fewer troops to fight Ebola in West Africa than it previously planned, officials said Wednesday…” (Ewing, 11/12).

Reuters: General says U.S. troops on Liberia Ebola mission to top out at 3,000
“…Army Major General Gary Volesky told a Pentagon telephone briefing fewer U.S. troops were needed than initially expected because the military had discovered greater local capacity for building treatment centers in Liberia than it initially expected…” (Alexander, 11/12).

Washington Post: Fewer U.S. troops than initially planned will be deployed against Ebola in West Africa
“…The decision to stop short of sending the full number of troops initially authorized comes as the rate of Ebola infections has fallen sharply in Liberia in recent weeks, leaving once-overwhelmed treatment centers half empty and some corners of the country with few new cases. At the same time, despite the recent positive turn in Liberia, infections are up in Sierra Leone and in parts of Guinea…” (Dennis/Ryan, 11/12).